Behringer D, Minimoog Clone, First BETA Test Video From Moog Expert

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Trusted Moog expert, Jareth Lackey, is giving the BETA version of the Behringer minimoog clone a spin. Here's his first video. Spoiler alert: sound is killer.

UPDATE: SINCE PUBLISHING THIS ARTICLE WE'VE COME ACROSS 2 MORE AUDIO DEMOS FROM ANOTHER BETA TESTER. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO HEAR THESE TOO.

The $299 Behringer D, Minimoog Model D clone has certainly brought its fair share of discussion across the web. Some are furious reactions at the audacity of a company wanting to clone a classic synth and offer it cheaper. And some reactions are more level-headed and simply excited or curious to know how it actually sounds.

Well, here's the good news. Jareth Lackey is an official BETA tester for the Behringer D and he's promised to upload test videos demos of this new synth against his 1972 Minimoog.

Here is the first video:

Jareth has been playing around with the Behringer D and says, "Ok guys, now for something new! I'm a beta tester for the Behringer model D and let me just say that the sound is killer! I admit it that I was very skeptical when I heard about this unit but its amazing! there will definitely be more to follow soon including some in depth demos and comparison against my 1972 minimoog. Check out a little vide here I made https://www.instagram.com/p/BXELObsAugD/?taken-by=synthpro"

For $299, and eurorack compatible, we don't mind if the Behringer D isn't completely similar in sound to the original minimoog. But if it does indeed sound close, and perhaps has its own sonic characteristics, then behringer could indeed be on to a winner.

Additional Behringer D Beta Demos

UPDATE: SINCE PUBLISHING THIS ARTICLE WE'VE COME ACROSS SOME MORE AUDIO DEMOS FROM ANOTHER BETA TESTER.

Let's start with another video... this time from Mr FireChild. This track is made with sounds from the Behringer Model D only. Composed and produced by www.firechild.se

Arlan Oscar Schierbaum, on Gearslutz, posted this (processed) demo of the Behringer D a week ago:

"I am a professional keyboard player & composer from the USA, with years of experience recording and performing with vintage keyboards. My credits can be found in numerous places online (Google, Discogs, All Music etc), and numerous videos of live and studio performances I have been a part of are on YouTube and elsewhere using parts of my name "Arlan", "Arlan Oscar", "Arlan Schierbaum" as search links.

"Recently, I was given to the task to evaluate a test unit for the upcoming release of Behringer's Model D Euro Rack synth.

"Although it is a prototype / test unit (with a few improvements still to be made) it sounds incredible and plays very well (via MIDI/USB).

"I have many years of personal experience playing, recording, and performing with numerous MiniMoog Model D synths, each one being different and unique, and bringing their own flavor to the music and recordings. I have played many types extensively: from the clear wheel (early version), to the cream wheel, and later slotted wheel MiniMoog, to the newly reissued MiniMoog Model D from 2016.

"From what I have learned directly from Behringer is that their Model D rack unit is a faithful reproduction of the MiniMoog Model D reissue, which is a reproduction of an early (cream wheel series) MiniMoog D ~ both obviously built with new parts. The "schematics and components are the same. There are always some minor differences because of tolerances and temperature drift"."

Here's details and technical info on the recording:

"The audio was recorded into my 2011 Mac Book Pro at 48k, 24 bit, on ProTools HD10, using an Apogee Duet 2 x 4 interface, with the Model D "high" output plugged directly into the 1/4 guitar input of the Duet breakout adpator. No eq plug-ins were used in ProTools (expect a little 30hz boost on the "synth bass" patch). A small amount of compression on each synth instrument was achieved with the popular "R Compressor" from "Waves" (unless otherwise noted). The delay used on the "square wave lead", and "funky filter sawtooth" patches is "DC Echoflex" by Plug and Mix, with a setting of 1/4 sync, and "ping pong" engaged. A Sonnex "Oxford Limiter" was used on the Master Fader during mixdown, and the final audio wav file was exported directly as a 44.1 - 256kbit/s mp3.

"All parts were played directly by hand (via Midi) from a Alesis Andromeda (MIDI only), triggering the Berhringer Model D Euro Rack (USB input), via a Mio 1 in 1 out USB to MIDI interface by iConnectivity with my Mac Book Pro. The parts were performed in real time with audio and MIDI recorded together, then some of the parts were quantized (MIDI), and used to re-trigger the Model D rack while adjustments could be made to the settings of each patch at that time. The MIDI / USB input to the Behringer Model D works so well (mod wheel included), that I was inspired adjust most of the sound patches after my initial performance while playing back the MIDI sequence file, and even doubled the square wave lead sound for a very nice stereo effect.

We'll bring you more videos, tests, demos and news on the Behringer D and other synths as we hear about them. And with the analog mono, minimoog-style synth war hotting up you may be interested in the Roland / Studio Electronics SE-02 which sounds great and includes a step sequencer. Watch our SE-02 demo and review here.

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Rounik Sethi

"Rounik is the Executive Editor for Ask.Audio & the macProVideo Hub.
As an Apple Certified Trainer for Logic (and a self-confessed Mac fanatic) he's taught teachers, professional musicians and hobbyists how to get the best out of Apple's creative software. He has been a visiting lecturer at Bath Spa University's Teacher training pro..." Read More

Discussion

If you read the rest of that GS thread you'll see $299 is a fantasy price briefly put up by Sweetwater (that some people were able to preorder at..)

U.B. states in the thread "under $399" - so it could still be true.. but that's the only official word on price.

Jul 28, 2017

JohnDoe

It's a bit unfortunate that Uli couldn't confirm the 299 price, but he didn't necessarily deny it either. He just said they were in the process of negotiating material costs and the price would not exceed 399. If you recall, the Deepmind was supposed to be 1200 but material negotiations went on and that finally retailed for 1000. Perhaps this was all a part of Uli's plan to drum up support and give him the edge in negotiations?

It's a weird situation with the Sweetwater listing and removal. Now it seem the listing was removed because Behringer wanted a few synth changes and didn't have a final price. Even if the ultimate price is 400, that's still a pretty good price for what it offers and I'll still keep my pre-order. I would prefer 300 but 100 more isn't going to break the bank.

Jul 28, 2017

JohnDoe

^^ Actually, I pre-ordered from Sweetwater. After they took the listing down, I contacted my sales rep and she said it was Behringer that requested they take it down but Sweetwater were still honoring AND taking pre-orders but you had to call them. I don't know if that's still true. Anybody interested might try to call them.

If I had to speculate on why.. maybe Behringer were setting aside a certain amount for Sweetwater and they were all pre-sold? Since the release was still over 2 months away, any 2nd batch pre-orders could be many more months away. Just speculation. However, it should be noted that Behringer was at Sweetwater for GearFest around the time the listing was put up. It seems highly unlikely that the price was an error, I think Behringer and Sweetwater would have fixed that right away. Even if it was an error, I still would have pre-ordered because $400 is a deal and I'm extremely curious about the synth. And if the price was just for pre-orders (which seems unlikely but who knows) then you snooze you lose. :P